1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a one piece, portable, or removable platform attachment or step support for a ladder. More particularly, the invention is directed to a one piece, detachable perch, platform, or ladder attachment which, in a preferred practice, can easily be locked into position. This invention is particularly for use by painters and other laborers who require stable footing when working while standing on a ladder. This invention is particularly suited to the situation where the work requires the laborer to stand on a platform for extended periods of time and at varying heights above ground level during the work activity.
The invention further relates to an improved ladder rung attachment or ladder step support. The device, in its preferred practice, fixes a platform in a generally horizontal plane, enabling the laborer to have stable footing thereon, without any obstruction from the ladder attachment. The device can also be used to place containers or articles thereon for the laborer's use over extended periods of work activity.
The invention can be used for a variety of applications, and the methods for constructing the device are more fully described herein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various prior art ladder attachment devices, and the like, as well as their apparatuses and the method of their construction in general, are known and are found to be exemplary of the U.S. prior art. They are:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ B. H. Ziegler and D. Betzner 745,750 C. M. Dollerhide 1,920,552 K. C. Miller 2,500,559 E. H. Chapman 3,511,338 W. R. Lincourt 4,482,030 R. J. Kwiatkowski 3,294,197 R. Moyer 4,646,878 C. E. Van Patten 4,401,187 F. W. Ethridge 4,211,307 W. J. Carnicelli 3,067,836 J. J. Glover 2,297,883 K. W. Horton 2,282,133 A. A. Silva 1,725,723 W. J. Connell 1,216,214 C. E. Johnson 4,909,351 J. W. Skaggs 4,687,075 ______________________________________
The Lincourt patent is for a safety platform which has L-shaped hooks used for attachment to the upper and lower rungs. Dollerhide shows a detachable ladder step secured to two rungs of the ladder; U-shaped hooks are used for securing the invention to the upper rung. Chapman's invention also utilizes U-shaped brackets, but uses them to secure the device to the lower rung; steel hooks secure the stand to the upper rung.
The Miller patent is directed to a ladder platform wherein the base is pivotally secured to one rung and swinging hook means are adjustable to various positions by means of notched formations in the side flanges of the platform.
The Ziegler and Betzner patent disclose an extension ladder with a moveable and adjustable shelf which is also secured in place by hooks projecting from the shelf to two rungs of the ladder. The extension feature of the ladder employs a bracing mechanism.
The Kwiatkowski patent discloses a perch for a ladder that sits upon one rung and has a cross member which engages the vertical support arms.
The Moyer patent discloses a portable ladder step having a portable attachment means having and a leveling means connected to the attachment means and the platform.
The Van Patten patent discloses a ladder platform accessory using resilient bracket arms in a hinged connection to the platform.
The Ethridge patent discloses a removable step for a ladder which permits the shelf or platform to be pivoted inward and outward so as not to obstruct normal use.
The United States Patent to Carnicelli is an adjustable step, for ladders utilizing two side members which contact the ladder rungs. The patents to Glover, Horton, Skaggs and Silva are variations on the type of construction of Carnicelli. The patent to Connell also is of analogous construction to that of Carnicelli.
The Johnson patent discloses a platform attachment for ladder having a retracted and a working position.
These patents or known prior uses teach and disclose various types of ladders and ladder attachment devices of sorts and of various manufacturers, and the like multiple piece ladder jacks and stabilizers, as well as methods of their construction. None of these references or other known devices, whether taken singly or in combination, disclose or suggest the specific details of the present invention, as claimed.